Diagnosing and treating upper back pain: insights from New Zealand's manipulative physiotherapists and osteopaths.

Background: Manual therapy is routinely used in the management of upper back pain (UBP), a disabling condition. However, the approach to diagnosis and treatment techniques used by manipulative physiotherapists and osteopaths is largely unknown.

Objectives: To explore knowledge about UBP, including diagnosis and treatment, by New Zealand (NZ) osteopaths and manipulative physiotherapists and to investigate differences (if any) in the self-reported approaches to diagnosis and management of UBP between the professions.

Effectiveness of spinal manipulation in influencing the autonomic nervous system - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Spinal manipulation (SM) has been hypothesized to influence the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Further, it has been proposed that the effects may vary depending on the segment manipulated. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the current level of evidence for SM in influencing the ANS in healthy and/or symptomatic population.

The role of micro-RNAs in neuropathic pain-a scoping review.

Neuropathic pain can be caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system characterised by pathological neuro-immune alterations. At a molecular level, microRNAs (miRNAs) act as regulators of gene expression orchestrating both immune and neuronal processes. Thus, miRNAs may act as essential modulators of processes for the establishment and maintenance of neuropathic pain.

Changes in biochemical markers following a spinal manipulation - a systematic review update.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to update the current level of evidence for spinal manipulation in influencing various biochemical markers in healthy and/or symptomatic population.

Methods: This is a systematic review update. Various databases were searched (inception till May 2023) and fifteen trials (737 participants) that met the inclusion criteria were included in the review.

Exploring the option of student-run free health clinics to support people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a scoping review.

Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and premature mortality worldwide and now identified as a 'public health emergency' and a 'modern and preventable pandemic'. Indigenous populations are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and associated complications. Student run free clinics (SRFCs) may play an important role in the prevention and management of T2DM.

Perception and knowledge of learners about the use of 3D technologies in manual therapy education - a qualitative study.

Objectives: Manual therapy is a specific hands-on approach used and taught by various professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy. The current paradigm of teaching manual therapy incorporates the traditional 'See one, do one, teach one' approach. However, this 'teacher centred' approach may not enable learners to develop the complex clinical skills of manual therapy.

Patient and public involvement in research: a review of practical resources for young investigators.

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in every aspect of research will add valuable insights from patients' experiences, help to explore barriers and facilitators to their compliance/adherence to assessment and treatment methods, bring meaningful outcomes that could meet their expectations, needs and preferences, reduce health care costs, and improve dissemination of research findings. It is essential to ensure competence of the research team by capacity building with available resources on PPI. This review summarizes practical resources for PPI in various stages of research projects-conception, co-creation, design (including qualitative or mixed methods), execution, implementation, feedback, authorship, acknowledgement and remuneration of patient research partners, and dissemination and communication of research findings with PPI.

Thoracic Spinal Manipulation Effect on Neuroendocrine Response in People With Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to determine the neuroendocrine response after a thoracic spinal manipulation in people with Achilles tendinopathy.

Methods: This was a randomized 2-sequence, 2-period crossover trial. A total of 24 participants, mean (standard deviation) age of 48 (7) years, with a diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy (>3 mo) were randomly assigned into sequence 1 (sham intervention and then thoracic spinal manipulation) or sequence 2 (thoracic spinal manipulation and then sham intervention).

Barriers and facilitators experienced by osteopaths in implementing a biopsychosocial (BPS) framework of care when managing people with musculoskeletal pain - a mixed methods systematic review.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines commonly recommend adopting a biopsychosocial (BPS) framework by practitioners managing musculoskeletal pain. However, it remains unclear how osteopaths implement a BPS framework in the management of musculoskeletal pain. Hence, the objective of this review was to systematically appraise the literature on the current practices, barriers and facilitators experienced by osteopaths in implementing a BPS framework of care when managing people with musculoskeletal pain.

Neuroendocrine Response Following a Thoracic Spinal Manipulation in Healthy Men.

Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Background Spinal manipulation (SM) can trigger a cascade of responses involving multiple systems, including the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system, specifically, the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. However, no manual therapy study has investigated the neuroendocrine response to SM (ie, sympathetic nervous system-hypothalamic-pituitary axis) in the same trial.

Changes in biochemical markers following spinal manipulation-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of spinal manipulation in influencing various biochemical markers in healthy and or symptomatic population. Electronic databases (n = 10) were searched (from inception till September 2016) and eight trials (325 participants) that met the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Two authors independently extracted and assessed the risk of bias in included studies.

The effects of manual therapy or exercise therapy or both in people with hip osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine whether manual therapy or exercise therapy or both is beneficial for people with hip osteoarthritis in terms of reduced pain, improved physical function and improved quality of life.

Methods: Databases such as Medline, AMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTSDiscus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and SCOPUS were searched from their inception till September 2015. Two authors independently extracted and assessed the risk of bias in included studies.

Down syndrome-A narrative review with a focus on anatomical features.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common aneuploidy of chromosome 21, characterized by the presence of an extra copy of that chromosome (trisomy 21). Children with DS present with an abnormal phenotype, which is attributed to a loss of genetic balance or an excess dose of chromosome 21 genes. In recent years, advances in prenatal screening and diagnostic tests have aided in the early diagnosis and appropriate management of fetuses with DS.

Measureable changes in the neuro-endocrinal mechanism following spinal manipulation.

The autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis have been shown to be dysfunctional in a number of chronic pain disorders. Spinal manipulation is a therapeutic technique used by manual therapists, which may have widespread neuro-physiological effects. The autonomic nervous system has been implicated to modulate these effects.

The effectiveness of behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity participation in people with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to illustrate whether people with multiple sclerosis engage in more physical activity following behaviour change interventions.

Data Resources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, EMBASE and PEDro were searched from their inception till 30 April 2015.

Trial Selection: Randomized and clinical controlled trials that used behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis were selected, regardless of type or duration of multiple sclerosis or disability severity.